The Smith Family is a national, independent charity which believes education is one of the world’s most powerful change agents. That’s why it focuses on helping young Australians to overcome educational inequality caused by poverty. Each day, it works with thousands of children and their families to help them unlock better futures for themselves.

The Judges said, “This engaging report excels in detailing the impacts of The Smith Family’s programs with easy-to-understand outcome statistics showing how the community has benefited. Personal stories from beneficiaries and volunteers add compelling narrative about the real-world differences these programs make. Financial reporting of income and expenditure is easy to understand and notably transparent. Such clarity should help to build trust with donors and other stakeholders. “

Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation is an autonomous Crown entity which invests Government contributions into the New Zealand Super Fund, a portfolio of global investments. This Fund will enable future governments to pay for superannuation and reduce the tax burden on future generations of New Zealanders.

The Judges said, “From cover to cover, this report is a joy to read. Highlights include an excellent governance section and board skills matrix, and how a climate change and sustainability focus is embedded in investment strategies. The use of Maori language in key sections demonstrates the Guardian’s commitment to all its stakeholders, and good case studies show they understand and value the benefits of diversity in their staff.”

From its origins as a farmers' cooperative in 1914, Wesfarmers has become one of the largest listed companies in Australia and, with ~120,000 team members, one of the largest private sector employers. Wesfarmers operates a diverse range of business activities in addition to the well-known Bunnings and K-Mart retail chains.

The Judges said, ”This is a detailed systematic report with a good structure that works well for the reader. It provides stakeholders with a clear outline of the organisation’s progress over the year, and its plans for the future. Outstanding features include a very comprehensive sustainability section, and best practice climate-related disclosures.“

With 47 fishing vessels and 210 aquaculture farms Sanford Limited is the largest integrated fishing and aquaculture business in New Zealand. It harvests, farms, processes and markets seafood for customers across the world. Sanford continually strives to improve every aspect of its business, and puts innovation and sustainability at the heart of everything it does.

The Judges said, “From start to finish the Sanford report clearly demonstrates what the company’s focus is, what it has done, and how this was achieved. Excellent use of design and engaging content drives the reader to explore and find out more about this organisation, its performance, and its challenges and how it plans to address them.”

The Bureau provides products and services that contribute to a safe, prosperous, secure and healthy Australia, and enhancing the wellbeing of all Australians. These services include:

• Severe weather forecasts and warnings

• Flood watches and warnings

• Fire weather forecasts and warnings

• Marine and ocean services.

The Judges said, “For many years, The Bureau has conducted a continuous review and improvement process which has led to this excellent report. It is well-structured with effective use of sub-headings to guide the reader, and clear and concise writing to provide a real-world connection to the work The Bureau does. High quality photography and graphics help to communicate the performance messages. It is a pleasure to read.”

Main Roads Western Australia is responsible for managing one of the most expansive road networks in the world. This includes building and maintaining roads, bridges and related infrastructure to provide a safe and reliable state-wide road-based transport system to meet the needs of the community, commerce and industry in the largest state in Australia.

The Judges said, “This attractive, easy-to-read report provides succinct and engaging coverage of all annual reporting requirements. The coverage of performance measurement and transparency in the reporting of results is excellent. Good use is made of design features to make the report easy to navigate and find specific information. Interesting case studies covering a diverse range of topics contribute to clear understanding of what Main Roads WA does.”

The City of Stirling is located on the coast 8 km north of the Perth CBD; covers an area of more than 100 square km; and by population, is the largest local government area in Western Australia. It has a thriving, diverse, multicultural community. About 37% of the population was born overseas and about 30% speak a language other than English at home.

The Judges said, “The City of Stirling produced a stunning annual report meeting all of the ARA criteria at a high level that sets a standard for all local authorities to aspire to. Messages about performance are conveyed clearly and effectively by well-written text using appropriate language, well-supported by easy to understand graphics. Overall, it clearly demonstrates the Council’s pride in its achievements while not shying away from plans that were not successful.”